This application is directed to actuation of lumbar support mechanisms, particularly for seats.
1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a lumbar support system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an actuator for a lumbar support system that provides for in-out directional adjustments by using an actuator connected via a cable to control a flexible mechanical mechanism.
2. Discussion
A conventional mechanical lumbar support system uses an actuator for each mode, adjustment or plane of operation. Thus, a two-way lumbar support system would provide an arching directional adjustment of a flexible, resilient support element in an in-out direction and require a single actuator.
Accordingly, the need exists to provide an improved, cost-effective, lightweight and efficient actuator for a lumbar support system. The current invention creates such an actuator for a lumbar support system and offers major improvements over previous systems such as actuation that can lock in one predetermined rotary direction, less free play, and simplification of parts to make the actuator easier to produce than prior art actuators. A further object of a durable actuator structure is provided via a mechanism in the preferred embodiment that uses an eccentric hub associated with a drive shaft to provide a wedging action to lock the mechanism against the cylindrical surface of a housing. Further, the object of simplification of parts is provided in the preferred embodiment to lock with the use of only one locking member in each locking or wedging space, using two thirds or fewer number of parts as used in other clutch mechanisms. Less free play is also accomplished by the described combination. Additionally, such a device must be available to be used as either a right handed device or a left handed device in association with the seats of a vehicle, depending upon which seat in a vehicle has the device attached, so that no additional parts are necessary. Furthermore, a rotation limiter can be built into the device to limit its rotation to a predefined amount of degrees of rotation, wherein the entire functionality of the product actuated by the device can be accomplished in that limited amount of rotation.
The present invention is a substantial improvement over the current actuators for lumbar support systems because it provides an actuator that is light weight, has fewer components, is durable, is more compact, has less free play, can be either right or left handed, and is less costly. Thus, the present inventions as defined by the various claims is intended to overcome the disadvantages of the current actuator art and thereby provide a relatively light weight, compact in size, less free play, universal (left or right handed), cost efficient actuator for a mechanical lumbar support system.
The present inventions as defined by the various claims is intended to provide an actuator for a lumbar support system which has one or more of the following features: has reduced overall size and weight, has fewer components, has reduced duplicative components, can lock in one predetermined rotary direction, has less free play, and is cost efficient.
The present inventions as defined by the various claims may also intend to provide an actuator for a lumbar support system which includes a releasable clutch that slips with rotation in either direction, resulting in two different outputs based on the direction of rotation either a clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation of the actuator, but that locks torque load when no manual rotation of the actuator occurs, or when the movement stops.
A further intent of at least one or more of the claimed inventions is to provide an actuator with one or more of the above features which also has limited movement to provide the entire functionality of the product to be actuated in a predefined amount of movement of the actuator. In one form, with preferably a lever actuator, this movement is less than 180 degrees of movement of the actuator. A knob actuator can be used for movement of the actuator in any amount, even multiples of 360 degrees representing multiple turns of the knob.
In one form, the present invention provides the art with an actuator for a lumbar support system including a flexible support element operated by a cable, such as a Bowden-cable arrangement, via the actuator. The actuator includes a locking action in one rotary direction and movement of the cable via rotation of the actuator mechanism in both rotary directions such that the actuator adjusts the flexible support element via the cable to flex the element either more or less, as desired, yet locks the actuator and the element in place once the actuator is no longer manipulated. This actuation can be set for either a left handed or a right handed actuation, with either clockwise or counterclockwise rotation to provide the correct actuation.